Motion picture film cassette-processor system

ABSTRACT

An applicator system including a dispensing container having a reservoir chamber for retaining processing fluid and an orifice provided therethrough communicating with the reservoir chamber. A strip of flexible material having an opening provided therein and a cleaning pad mounted adjacent that opening is disposed over the aforesaid orifice and connected to an actuator slidably mounted in guide tracks of the container&#39;&#39;s housing whereby the opening in the flexible material may be brought into and removed from alignment with the orifice. A mechanism is provided to progressively draw a strip of exposed photographic material across the container&#39;&#39;s orifice in intermediate spaced-apart relationship to the strip of flexible material and a spring mounted support plate when the orifice is sealed by the flexible material. The support plate automatically slidably engages the filmstrip against the flexible material whenever the actuator is displaced into a position where the opening through that material is in alignment with the orifice. In this position the filmstrip engages the cleaning pad immediately before being coated with processing fluid expressed from the orifice. This system can most advantageously be employed in a compact multipurpose filmhandling cassette adapted to be first mounted in a camera to facilitate exposure operations and then subsequently in a unique processor-projector unit.

United States Patent Downey et al.

[54] MOTION PICTURE FILM CASSETTE- PROCESSOR SYSTEM [72] Inventors:Rogers 13. Downey, Lexington; Paul W.

Thomas, Duxbury, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass.

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 813,586

Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Richard M. SheerAttorney-Brown and Mikulka, William D. Robersomand Robert L. Berger 15]3,641,896 [451 Feb. 15, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT An applicator systemincluding a dispensing container having a reservoir chamber forretaining processing fluid and an orifice provided therethroughcommunicating with the reservoir chamber. A strip of flexible materialhaving an opening provided therein and a cleaning pad mounted adjacentthat opening is disposed over the aforesaid orifice and connected to anactuator slidably mounted in guide tracks of the containers housingwhereby the opening in the flexible material may be brought into andremoved from alignment with the orifice. A mechanism is provided toprogressively draw a strip of exposed photographic material across thecontainers orifice in intermediate spaced-apart relationship to thestrip of flexible material and a spring mounted support plate when theorifice is sealed by the flexible material. The support plateautomatically slidably engages the filmstrip against the flexiblematerial whenever the actuator is displaced into a position where theopening through that material is in alignment with the orifice. In thisposition the filmstrip engages the cleaning pad immediately before beingcoated with processing fluid expressed from the orifice. This system canmost advantageously be employed in a compact multipurpose film-handlingcassette adapted to be first mounted in a camera to facilitate exposureoperations and then subsequently in a unique processor-projector unit.

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PATENTEDFEB 1 5 m2 SHEET 5 BF 5 MOTION PICTURE FILM CASSETTE-PROCESSORSYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of Invention This inventionrelates to photography and, more particularly, to an improved system forapplying a uniform coating of processing fluid to an exposed strip ofphotographic material.

2. Description of the Prior Art After motion picture film has beenexposed in a camera, it has generally been the practice for thephotographer to mail the reel of exposed film to a processinglaboratory. At the laboratory the film is removed from the reel andsubjected to a series of operations in order to develop visible imagesfrom the images recorded thereon during the exposure operations. Thefully developed film strip is then rewound onto a reel at the laboratoryand returned to the user.

The extended delay normally incurred between the time exposed film ismailed to the laboratory and returned ready for viewing has proved to bea significant inconvenience to the user and a source of great annoyance.

The field of still photography is no longer hampered by extensiveperiods of delay associated with the processing of exposed film. Theimpact on the public of the one-step photographic process employingdiffusion transfer techniques is a matter of record and generally wellknown. The home still photographer can now enjoy the fruits of hisefforts in a matter of seconds. This important convenience has beenavailable to the amateur still photographer for many years.

Most recently, important technological advances have made it possiblefor the home photographer interested in motion pictures to enjoy thissame convenience. Radically different systems have now been developedwhich permit the photographer himself to quickly and easily process andproject a strip of motion picture film shortly after the pictures havebeen taken. Exemplary of such new and unique systems are those describedin copending applications Ser. No. 755,901 of Edwin H. Land filed Aug.28, 1968; Ser. No. 761,771 of Rogers B. Downey filed Sept. 23, 1968;Ser. No. 776,481 of Rogers B. Downey filed Nov. 18, 1968; Ser. No.772,789 of Vaito K. Eloranta and Benjamin C. Ruggles filed Nov. 1, I968;Ser. No. 788,897 of Rogers B. Downey filed Jan. 3, 1969; Ser. No.813,427 of Rogers B. Downey filed Apr. 4, 1969 and Ser. No. 813,469 ofRogers B. Downey filed Apr. 4, 1969; all of which applications areassigned to the assignee of the present invention. Each of the systemsdescribed in the aforementioned copending applications mostadvantageously employ a cassette from which the film need not be removedduring exposure, processing and projection operations.

In commercial and industrial operations, such rapid motion pictureprocessing systems are not only an improvement as a matter ofconvenience, but have other important effects as well. For instance,motion picture newsreel programs can be presented on television to theviewing public shortly after events of interest have occurred and beenphotographed.

In some of these new systems the processing fluid is initially stored ina dispensing container having an applicator, in some the processingfluid is initially stored in a frangible container from which it islater released into a reservoir of the cassette to facilitate theprocessing operation, while in still others the processing fluid isinitially stored in a rupturable pod from which it can be expelled intoan applicator at the proper time. Considerable funds and effort arecurrently being expended to further improve and refine various featuresof these systems in order to reduce their cost, to further simplify thetask of the operator, to improve their reliability, and to improve thequality of the final product. The present invention is directed to animproved system of the type in which a dispensing container is providedwith a reservoir chamber adapted to receive the processing fluid andfrom which it may be expressed through an orifice onto the exposed filmstrip and which,

further, is particularly well suited for use in a compact multipurposefilm handling cassette wherein the processing fluid is initiallyretained in a nrpturable pod. Importantly, this improved system iscapable of being operated by the photographer himself.

In operations of this general type, it is highly desirable toeffectively control the flow of processing fluid from the applicatorsystem so as to prevent premature leakage of the fluid and/or leakageafter the exposed areas of the film strip have been treated. Obviously,premature leakage of the processing fluid can result in a situation inwhich sufficient processing fluid is not later available for the filmprocessing operation itself. Additionally, any type of leakage adverselyaffects the cost of the operation and results in undesirable fouling ofvarious parts of the system. It is also desirable in systems of thistype that the surface of the exposed film strip be free of foreignmatter at the time the processing fluid is applied thereto.

In order to improve and maintain the quality of the processed filmstrip, it has been the practice to bring the film strip into contactwith an applicator only at such time as the processing fluid is beingapplied thereto. However, prior art techniques for effecting such anarrangement have functioned independently of other system operations,resulting not only in increased system costs but also in a more involvedprocedure for the operator to follow.

One of the objects of this invention, therefore, is to provide animproved system for applying a processing fluid to a strip of exposedphotographic material.

Another primary object of this invention is to provide relativelyinexpensive and an extremely effective means for selectively sealing andunsealing an orifice of an applicator system.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved system forselectively unsealing an orifice of an applicator system andsimultaneously displacing a strip of exposed photographic material intooperative relationship with that orifice.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a system forautomatically displacing a strip of exposed photographic material intooperative relationship with an orifice of an applicator system wheneverthat orifice is in an unsealed condition.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved systemfor selectively effecting an operable relationship between a source ofprocessing fluid and a strip of exposed photographic material.

Also, an object of this invention is to provide an improved system forremoving foreign material from a strip of exposed photographic materialimmediately prior to treating that strip of material with processingfluid.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a compactmultipurpose motion picture film handling cassette employing an improvedsystem for selectively sealing and unsealing the orifice of anapplicator system thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a compact multipurposemotion picture film handling cassette employing an improved system forselectively effecting an operable relationship between a strip ofexposed photographic material and a source of processing fluid.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a compact motionpicture film handling cassette which contains an improved system forobtaining and maintaining a high quality, fully processed strip ofphotographic material.

Still an additional object of this invention is to provide an improvedprocessor or processor-projector unit for use in connection withcassettes of the type indicated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features that are consideredcharacteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in theappended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to itsorganization and its method of operation, together with additionalobjects and advantages thereof will be best understood from thefollowing description of the preferred embodiment when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers have beenemployed in the different figures to denote the same parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cut away plan view of a compact multipurposemotion picture film handling cassette embodying features of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view, partially cut away,illustrating the light reflecting element and film strip employed in thecassette shown in FIG. I and also illustrating the operativerelationship between the light-reflecting element and the light sourceof a projector;

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view illustrating details of theapplicator system employed in the cassette shown in FIG. 1 taken alongline 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the applicator systememployed in the cassette shown in FIG. 1 embodying features of thisinvention and, further, showing the actuator of that system in itsposition when the systems orifice is in an unsealed condition;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to FIG. 4 exceptillustrating the .actuator in its position when the systems orifice isin a sealed condition;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic cut away perspective view of aprocessor-projector unit adapted to receive the film-handling cassetteshown in FIG. I and embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view illustrating the cooperatingelements of the cassette and the processor-projecting unit forselectively rendering the cassettes applicator system operable;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view illustrating certaindetails of the applicator system of this invention taken along line 8-8of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the pod rupturing means of theprocessor-projector unit taken along line 99 of FIG. 7.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of this inventionbriefly comprises an applicator system including a pair of opposedparallel walls with a sidewall formed therebetween around theperipheries thereof to define a reservoir chamber in which a body ofprocessing fluid may be disposed. An orifice communicating with thisreservoir chamber is provided through the sidewall and a projectionextends from the sidewall adjacent the edges of that orifice. Anactuator member is slidably disposed in guide tracks formed in the outerface of one of the opposed walls and includes a tang which extends overthe sidewall and spaced apart therefrom a distance less than is the endface of the aforesaid projection.

A strip of flexible material has one of its ends connected to theactuators prong and extends therefrom so as to seat against the end faceof the projection, its other end being connected to a support member bya spring. This strip of flexible material is provided with an openinglocated therein so as to be positioned out of registry with theaforesaid orifice when the actuator is disposed in a first positionalong the guide tracks under the force of the spring acting through theflexible material, and so as to be in registry with the orifice when theactuator is displaced to a second position against the force of thatspring. A cleaning pad is mounted on the strip of flexible materialadjacent the opening provided therein on the other side of the openingfrom the end of the flexible material attached to the actuators prong.

A support plate is mounted from the applicator housing by a springmember so as to be in alignment with the applicators orifice and spacedfrom the strip of flexible material when the orifice is sealed by thatmaterial. This initial spaced-apart relationship between the supportplate and the flexible material is effected by the actuators prong beingin contact with the spring to which the support plate is connected. Thestrip of photographic material to be treated with processing fluid fromthe reservoir chamber is initially positioned intermediate the supportplate and the flexible material and in spaced relationship to both ofthese elements. The spring member is uniquely configured such that asthe actuator is displaced to its position wherein the opening in theresilient material has been drawn into alignment with the applicatorsystem's orifice, the actuators prong has been disengaged from thespring so that the inherent force of the spring brings the support plateinto contact with the film strip and slidably engages the film stripagainst the flexible material over the opening provided therein. Guidemeans are provided for the strip of flexible material such that when thesupport plate seats the film strip against the flexible material, thecleaning pad attached to the flexible material is automatically broughtinto contact with the film strip. In this condition, processing fluidfrom the reservoir chamber flows through the applicator systems orificeand the opening in the strip of the flexible material onto the exposedfilm strip. As the exposed film strip is then subsequently passed acrossthe orifice, it draws processing fluid therefrom to form a uniform fluidcoating therealong. Immediately prior to coming into contact with theprocessing fluid, any foreign matter on the film strip is removed by thepad mounted on the strip of flexible material.

Most advantageously, this unique system for applying processing fluid toa strip of exposed photographic material may be incorporated into acompact multipurpose motion picture film handling cassette. Such a filmhandling cassette may include a rupturable pod which communicates withthe applicator systems reservoir chamber and in which the processingfluid is initially stored. The collapsible pod is located adjacent aremovable cover plate of the cassettes housing whereby that plate may beselectively removed to expose this pod to an externally mounted forceapplying member. Substantially the entire length of the unexposedphotographic film strip is initially coiled around a supply reel of thecassette and, in reaching a takeup reel of the cassette, passes througha processing station and an exposure and projection station. Theapplicator system's orifice is positioned in the processing station inan initially sealed condition and the exposure and projection stationincludes a film gate behind which a light-reflecting element ispositioned with the film strip being disposed intermediate of the filmgate and the reflecting element.

This cassette is adapted to be first mounted in a camera for exposureoperations. During these operations, the processing station isinoperative and .the photosensitive film strip is progressively drawnacross the film gate onto the takeup reel. After the picture takingprocess has been completed, the cassette may be withdrawn from thecamera, its aforesaid cover plate removed, and inserted into a speciallyconfigured processor-projector unit. A pressure applying assembly ismounted within the processor-projector unit and may take the form of aroller adapted to progressively engage the collapsible pod as thecassette is inserted into the unit. Consequently, by inserting thecassette into the processor-projector unit, the processing fluidinitially contained in the collapsible container is automaticallyexpelled therefrom into the reservoir chamber of the applicator system.

The processor-projector unit also includes means for engaging theactuator member of the applicator system whereby the strip of flexiblematerial may be selectively displaced between a position wherein itseals the applicators orifice and a position where its opening isbrought into alignment with that orifice. Consequently, once thecassette has been mounted in the processor-projector unit, the operatorcan displace the strip of flexible material into an unsealingrelationship with the applicator systems orifice. Drive means of theprocessor-projector unit first engage the cassettes supply reel toreturn the exposed film strip from the takeup reel to the supply reel.During this operation, the exposed film strip passes across the orificeof the applicator system and draws processing fluid therefrom to form auniform coating of the fluid along its entire exposed surface. Afterthis operation has been completed, the operator may return the strip offlexible material into a sealing relationship with the orifice.

Drive means of the processor-projector unit engaging the cassettestakeup reel may then be energized to return the processed film stripacross the cassette's film gate in front of the light reflecting elementto the takeup reel for projection purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of thisinvention is illustrated as applying a compatible processing fluid to afilm structure which comprises both a photosensitive image-recordinglayer and an image-receiving layer in which a visible image may beformed by image-forming substances transferred by diffusion from thephotosensitive layer without necessitating the subsequent removal of theprocessed photosensitive layer. This highly desirable type of filmstructure is made possible by a developed negative image having lowcovering power.

In typical silver halide diffusion transfer-reversal processes for theproduction of black-and-white images, a silver halide developer and asilver halide solvent are applied in an aqueous alkaline solution to aphotoexposed silver halide stratum or emulsion where they developexposed silver halide to silver and react with unreduced silver halideto form a soluble silver complex. This complex, in order to form apositive print, is transferred and reduced to silver on asilver-receptive stratum upon which the silver halide stratum has beensuperimposed. It has generally been the practice, in the completion ofthis process, to separate the silver-receptive and silver halide stratain order to render the positive image visible, particularly when it isto be viewed in transmitted light.

However, as indicated above, the positive print may be rendered visiblewithout separation of the silver halide and silver receptive strata. Forexample, the silver receptive stratum may be so constituted as toprovide an unusually vigorous silver precipitating environment whichcauses the silver deposited upon it, in comparison with silver developedin the silver halide stratum, to possess very high covering power, i.e.,capacity for a given mass of reduced silver. If the silverhalide is insuch a concentration as to give rise only when fully developed to apredetermined low-maximum density, and if the silver complex is reducedto silver in a vigorous silver precipitating environment, the resultingnegative and positive images in superposition provide a composite thatpresents a good image for projection purposes as long as the images arecarried on a light-transmitting support. Since the silver halide stratumand the silver receptive stratum need not be separated, a simplificationof the overall silver halide diffusion transfer-reversal process isachieved.

A composite film assembly of this type as well as processingcompositions for producing a stable black-and-white image which can beviewed by transmitted light without the necessity of removing theprocessed, negative image-containing photosensitive layer are shown inprior US. Pat. No. 2,861,885 of Edwin H. Land which issued on Nov. 25,1958. Other composite film assemblies capable of producing photographicrecords which can be exhibited in full color without the necessity ofremoving the processed photosensitive layer are shown in prior US.patents of Edwin H. Land Nos. 2,726,154 issued Dec. 6, 1955 and2,944,894 issued July 12, 1960. All of these prior patents are assignedto the assignee of the present invention.

However, it should be noted that the present invention is not directedto the chemistry by which visible images are formed in an exposedphotosensitive material and/or formed in an image receiving stratumassociated therewith. While an illustrated preferred embodiment of theinvention is shown applying a compatible processing fluid to a filmstructure not requiring the removal of the photosensitive layer aftervisible image formation is completed, the invention itself is alsoapplicable for use with other types of processing fluids and filmstructures.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of this invention may best beunderstood by first returning to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. As maybe seen therein, a compact multipurpose film handling cassette 10 isbasically constituted by a pair of frame members 11 and 12 connectedtogether to form an enclosed opaque housing. The frame member 12 isprovided with 'a recessed portion 13 and a removable cover plate 14which in combination define an enclosed section 15 separated from alighttight section 17 of the cassette 10.

Cut out portions of the frame members 11 and 12 define a film gate 32through which image-carrying light rays may enter and/or leave thecassette 10. In this embodiment, the cassette is relatively flat andgenerally rectangular parallelepiped in configuration. A supply reel 16and a takeup reel 18 are coplanarly mounted within section 17 of thecassette 10 for rotation about parallel axes. A strip of unexposedphotographic material 20, of the type previously discussed and providedwith leaders affixed to the supply reel 16 and the takeup reel 18, isinitially substantially entirely coiled around the supply rd Intraveling from the supply reel 16 to the takeup reel 18, the strip ofphotographic material 20 sequentially passes around idlers 22,24,26,28and 30. Advantageously, the idlers 26 and 28 are positioned in oppositecomers or extremities of the cassette 10 and on the same side of thesupply reel 16 and the takeup reel 18. Additionally, the idler 24 isadvantageously positioned in the corner of the supply reel 16 from thetakeup reel 18 and on the opposite side of both of those reels from theidlers 26 and 28. Mounted between the frame member 12 and the wall 40 ofthe frame member 11 is a light-sealing plate 42 which extends adjacentthe film strip 20 from a position in the vicinity of idler 26 to withinthe vicinity of the idler 28. This light-sealing plate 42 is configuredto seat along the edge of an opening 44 provided in the wall 40 adjacentthe film gate 32 thereby cooperating with the frame member 12 to definea recess 46 within the cassette l0 sealed in a lighttight manner fromthat portion of the cassette 10 in which the reels 16 and 18 arecontained. As will be explained in more detail, this recess 46 inconjunction with the film gate 32 is adapted to serve both as anexposure and projection station of the cassette 10 and preferably ispositioned intermediate of the idlers 26 and 28 in the immediatevicinity if idler 26 adjacent the corner of the cassette 10 which thatidler occupies.

Mounted by any suitable means within the recess 46 is a light-reflectingelement 48. In the system illustrated in the drawings, thislight-reflecting element 48 is prismatic in nature, as may be seen inFIG. 2, and includes a concave light receiving transparent face 50 and aflat reflecting surface 52 which reflects light received into theelement through the concave face 50 outwardly through a convextransparent face 54 onto that portion of the film strip 20 disposedacross the film gate 32. This light reflecting element 48 also includesa pair of parallel bearing surfaces 56 and 58 disposed on the oppositesides of its convex transparent face 54 and on which the film strip 20is supported as it traverses the film gate 32. A prismatic element ofthis type suitable for use in connection with the present invention isdescribed in copending application Ser. No. 767,609 of Herbert A. Bingfiled Oct. 15, 1968 and assigned to the assignee of the presentinvention. As may be seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the film strip 20includes sprocket holes 60 as is conventional.

Returning now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a resilient member 62 isconnected to the inside face of the wall 40 by any suitable means, suchas rivets 64, and extends over and in spaced relationship to the endsurfaces 66 and 68 of the idlers 28 and 30, respectively. Provided inthe wall 40 is an aperture 70 disposed over the resilient member 62whereby an externally mounted force applying member may be introducedinto the cassette 10 to urge end portions 72 and 74 of that member 62into frictional engagement with the idlers 28 and 30, respectively, soas to restrain further rotational movement of those idlers. In order toeffectively light seal the interior of the cassette 10, a ring 75 ismounted on the resilient member 62 and adapted to seat in an annularrecess 77 provided in the inside face of the wall 40 in coaxialalignment with the aperture 70. A snubbing arrangement of this type isdescribed in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 813,427of Rogers B. Downey, filed Apr. 4, 1969.

A rupturable pod or container 76 is positioned in the section of thecassette 10 adjacent the frame member 12 (also see FIG. 3). This pod 76includes a weakened seal 78 connected to a fluid feeding device 80provided with an aperture 82. Advantageously, this assembly consistingof the rupturable pod 76 and fluid feeding device 80 may take the formof that described in aforementioned copending application Ser. No.813,469 of Rogers B. Downey, filed Apr. 4, 1969. The fluid feedingdevices aperture 82 communicates with a fluid reservoir chamber 84 of adispensing container 86, forming part of an applicator system 88,through an opening 90 in the frame member 12. It has been found thatapproximately 2 cc. of processing fluid is sufficient to treat 50 feetof Super 8 format film; consequently, when the film strip is of thistype and length, approximately 2 cc. of processing fluid 94 is initiallyretained in the rupturable pod or container 76. Also, the capacity ofthe reservoir chamber 84 should be at least equal to that of the pod 76.it will be noted that in the illustrated preferred embodiment, theapplicator system's dispensing container 86 is uniquely configured tomake maximum utilization of the available space within section 17 of thecassette 10. In this respect, the dispensing container 86 is formed bybonding a housing member 95 to a specially configured section of theframe member 12. The surface of the fluid feeding device 80 around theperiphery of its aperture 82 is bonded to the frame member 12 adjacentits opening 90.

As indicated, the rupturable pod 76 and fluid feeding device 80 arepositioned within the recess 13 being attached to the frame member 12 byany suitable means. It will thus be appreciated that once the plate 14has been removed, an exteriorly mounted force applying member may bedrawn across the length of the pod 76 towards its weakened seal 78 andacross the fluid feeding device 80 to initially rupture that seal and tocause the fluid 94 to be expelled from the pod through the fluid feedingdevice into the reservoir area 84 of the applicator system 88.

Details of the certain elements comprising the applicator system 88 aremost clearly shown in FlGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. In the preferredembodiment, the dispensing container 86 is basically formed by a pair ofopposed parallel walls 100 and 102, the latter of which comprises asection of the frame member 12, connected together adjacent theirperipheral edge surfaces by a sidewall 104. An orifice 106 is providedthrough the sidewall 104 and a rectangular projection 108 extends ashort distance from the outside face of the sidewall 104 around theperiphery of that orifice. A section 109 of the projection 108 istapered so as to form a doctor blade 111. An actuator 1 10, preferablyformed of a thin sheet of metal such as stainless steel, is slidablydisposed between guide tracks 112 and 114 formed as a recessed portionof the outside face of the wall 100. integrally formed as a part of theactuator 110 is a leaf spring 116 which is adapted to be contacted bythe inside face of the cassettes wall 40 at the time the frame member 11is assembled to the frame member 12. In this manner, the force of theleaf spring 116 firmly seats the actuator 110 in the guide tracks 112and 114. This actuator 110 also includes a tang 118 which extendsthrough a groove 120 in the housing members sidewall 104 and which isdisposed in spaced parallel relationship to the sidewall 104.

lt is important to note that the tang 118 is positioned substantiallycloser to the outside face of the sidewall 104 than is the end face 122of the rectangular projection 108. A pair of shoulders 124 and 126extend from the outside face of the sidewall 104 intermediate of theprojection 108 and the actuators tang 118 and a guide member 128 extendsfrom the outside face of the end wall 104 on the other side of theorifice 106 from shoulders 124 and 126. One end 130 of a strip offlexible material 132, which may, for example, be formed of a polymericmaterial such as Mylar manufactured by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co.of Wilmington, Delaware, or of a thin sheet of stainless steel, isconnected to the actuators tang 118. From the tang 118, this strip offlexible material 132 extends between the shoulders 124 and 126, overand against the projection 108 and around the guide member 128. in thisrespect, it also passes around a post 134 extending from the cassettesframe member 12 and its other end is connected to a spring 138 mountedfrom a pin 140 also extending from the cassettes framemember 12. It willbe recognized that the frame member 12 including the pin 140 and thepost 134 may, for example, be integrally formed from a suitablethermoplastic resin, such as an acrylic or polystyrene, in aninexpensive injection molding process. Similarly, the applicator systemshousing member including the shoulders 124 and 126, the projection 108,the guide member 128 and the guide tracks 112 and 114 may be formed in asimilar injection molding process employing a polymeric material of thesame type.

The strip of flexible material 132 is provided with an opening 142 whichpreferably includes a pair of parallel sides 144 and 146 connected bytapered sides 148 and 150, the purposes thereof to be subsequentlyexplained. Mounted across the strip of flexible material 132 adjacentthe tapered side 148 of the opening 142 is a cleaning pad 152. This pad152 may be formed of any suitable material capable of removing foreignparticles from the exposed emulsion surface of the film strip 20 withoutdamaging the surface of the film strip when brought into contacttherewith and relative motion is effected therebetween. For instance, itmay be formed of cotton felting or of polyurethane foam. 7

As will be more fully explained hereinafter, processing fluid 94 fromthe reservoir chamber 84 is adapted to be expressed through the orifice106 and the opening 142 in the flexible material 132 onto the film strip20 as the film strip is progressively drawn across the orifice 106.During this operation, the strip of photographic material 20 is seatedagainst the flexible material 132 and passes first across the cleaningpad 152, then across the orifice 106 and between the shoulders 124 and126. In this respect, the shoulders 124 and 126 serve as guides for boththe strip of flexible material 132 and the strip of photographicmaterial 20. Consequently, the strip of material 132 is substantiallythe same width as the film strip 20 and the shoulders 124 and 126 arespaced substantially that same distance apart. The height of the orifice106 (as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings) is preferably the samedimension as the distance between the parallel sidewalls 144 and 146 ofthe opening 142 and this dimension is determined by the width of thesurface'of the strip of photographic material 20 to be treated withprocessing fluid 94.

It will now be noted that the actuator also includes a circular aperture154 adapted to receive an externally mountedpin 156 which may' beinserted into the cassette 10 through an elongated slot 158 (see FIG. 3)provided through its wall 40. As shown in FIG. 5 the inherent force ofthe spring 138 connected to the strip of flexible material 132 causesthe actuator 110 to be displaced into a position wherein its tang 118 isin its closest position along the groove with respect to the orifice106. At such time the orifice 106 is sealed by the portion of the stripof flexible material 132 which is seated against the end face 122 of theprojection 108. Also at this time, the cleaning pad 152 is disposed outof the plane of that particular portion of the strip of flexiblematerial 132. However, once that pin 156 has been inserted into thecassette 10 so as to seat in the actuators recess 154, it may bedisplaced along the slot 158 to draw the actuators tang 118, against theforce of the spring 138, into the position shown in FIG. 4 of thedrawings. It will be seen that, at such time, the opening 142 in thestrip of flexible material 132 is in registry with the orifice 106 and,further, that the cleaning pad 152 has been displaced into a positionwhere it extends through the plane of that portion of the flexiblematerial seated against the projection 108. By subsequently withdrawingthe pin 156 from the actuators circular aperture 154, the force of thespring 138 will automatically return the actuator 110 and the strip offlexible material 132 to the positions shown in FIG. 5 wherein theflexible material seals the critic? 1 06. interferences between theopening 142 of the flexible material 132 and the projection 108 duringdisplacement of the flexible material is minimized by the taperedconfiguration of the openings lateral sides 148 and 150.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 3 and 8 of the drawings, it will be seen thatthe applicator system 88 further includes a generally U"-shaped springmember 160. The base of this spring member 160 seats against a lip 162extending across the outside face of the sidewall 104and a section 164of each leg of the spring member is seated against the sidewall 104 by apair of L-shaped grips 166 extending from that wall. A section 168 ofeach leg of the spring member 160 is disposed in spaced relationship tothe sidewall 104 and includes an offset 170 that seats against tang 1 18when the actuator l 10 is in its initial position as shown in FIGS. 1and 5 of the drawings. In this condition, the strip of flexible material132 is disposed intermediate the offsets 170. Pivotally disposed betweenthe extremities of the U-shaped spring member 160 in alignment with theorifice 106 is a support plate 172. It will be seen from F IG. 1 that,when the actuator 110 is in its initial position with the orifice 106sealed by the strip of flexible material 132, a section of film strip 20disposed intermediate of the idlers 24 and 26 is positioned between andin spaced relationship to the support plate 172 and the strip offlexible material 132. However, when the actuator 110 is displaced alongthe guide tracks 112 and 114 into its position shown in FIG. 4 to bringthe opening 142 of the strip of flexible material 132 into alignmentwith the orifice 106, the tang 118 will have been withdrawn from contactwith the offsets 170 in the legs of the spring member 160 and theinherent force of the spring member will displace the support plate 172into contact with the film strip 20 to slidably engage the film stripagainst that section of the flexible material 132 disposed across theprojection 108. At such time as the actuator 110 is once again returnedto its original position as shown in FIG. 5, the spring member 160 willbe engaged by the actuators tang 1 18 to displace the support plate 172out of contact with the film strip 20 permitting the film strip toreturn to its original position in spaced relationship to both thesupport plate and the strip of flexible material 132. It will also berecognized that whenever the actuator 110 is displaced into a positionsuch that the support plate 172 slidably engages the film strip 20against the strip of flexible material 132, the cleaning pad 1152automatically engages the strip of photographic material 20 immediatelyin front of the orifice 106.

The reels l6 and 18 are respectively provided with recesses 174 and 176which are adapted to receive externally mounted drive means throughapertures (not shown) appropriately provided in the cassette's wall 40.Thus, the cassette 10 includes means for reversibly transporting thefilm strip between the supply reel 16 and the takeup reel 18 and acrossthe orifice 106 of the applicator system 88 and the film gate 32.Consequently, the film gate 32 is adapted to serve as an exposurestation during a first pass of the photosensitive film strip thereacrossand as a projection station during subsequent operations in which theexposed film strip, in a fully processed condition, is advanced from thesupply reel 16 to the takeup reel 18.

Idler 26, around which the film strip 20 passes on its way from thesupply reel 16 to the film gate 32 may, if desired, be mounted on amovable post spring biased towards the corner which it occupies in thehousing of the cassette 10 and capable of being moved resilientlyinwardly away from that corner. Also, idler 28 may be spring biasedtoward the comer which it occupies in the housing of the cassette l0 andcapable of being moved resiliently inwardly away from that corner. Thisrepresents one way to minimize strain exerted on the film strip 20 bythe conventional intermittent film advancement structure engaging thesprocket holes of the film during exposure and projection operations.

As indicated, the cassette 10 is initially furnished with substantiallyall of the film strip 20 in a photosensitive condition coiled on thesupply reel 167 5? exposure purposes, the cassette 10 is mounted in anappropriate camera (not shown) with the drive means of the cameraengaging the recess 176 of the takeup reel 18. While the particularcamera employed does not form part of the present invention, it mayadvantageously take the form of the camera described in the hereinbeforementioned application Ser. No. 813,427 of Rogers B. Downey, filed Apr.4, 1969. The camera described in that application includes a doormounted pin which automatically enters the cassette 10 through itsaperture 70 to snub the idlers 28 and 30 whenever the cassette ismounted therein. In any case, in this use of light rays from the scenebeing photographed are focused by the camera lens through the camerashutter and the film gate 132 onto the photosensitive film strip 20 inits passage from the supply reel 16 to the takeup reel 18. During thisexposure sequence, the processing fluid 94 is retained within thecollapsible pod or container 76, the actuator is in its position asshown in FIG. 15 wherein the orifice 106 is sealed by the strip offlexible material 132 under the force of the spring 138 and the filmstrip 20 passes between and in spaced relationship to the support plate172 and the strip of flexible material 132. As the film strip 20 isdrawn onto the takeup reel 18 by power supplied thereto by the camera,it is simultaneously advanced past the film gate 32 in incremental stepsby a typical claw mechanism or the like of the camera cooperating withthe sprocket holes 60 provided in the film strip 20. During thisoperation, the opening or film gate 32 provided by the aforementionedcut out portions of the cassette defines a station providing access oflight to selective incremental portions of the film strip 20. In thisrespect, if desirable, the cassette 10 may include still an additionalaperture and conventional means (not shown) for receiving the camerasclaw mechanism and cooperating therewith so that the claw mechanism, atthe proper time, advances the film strip 20 across the film gate 32 inincremental steps. In the embodiment illustrated, the photosensitivesurface of the film strip 20 faces inwardly of the cassette 10 such thatexposure of the photosensitive emulsion is effected through thetransparent film base.

While the exposed film strip 20 may be processed with the cassette 10mounted in the camera or when it is mounted in a special processingapparatus, it is preferably processed while the cassette 10 is mountedin a special processor-projector unit 178 diagrammatically illustratedin FIG. 6 of the drawings. In this connection, the top panel 180 of theprocessor-projector unit 178 is provided with a slot 182 configured toreceive the cassette 10. Prior to inserting the cassette 10 into theprocessor-projector unit 178, its plate 14 should be removed to exposethe rupturable processing fluid containing pod 76 and the fluid feedingdevice 80. It will be seen from FIG. 3 of the drawings that theremovable plate 14 seats in grooves 184 suitably provided in portions ofthe frame member 12. This removable plate 14 serves to protect the pod76 prior to the processing operation and is made of any suitablematerial, such as a thin sheet of aluminum, which can be readilyslidably removed from the grooves 184 and reinserted thereinto.

A preferred embodiment of the pod rupturing means of theprocessor-projector unit 178 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 7and 9 of the drawings. As shown therein, a support member 185 is mountedfrom, and slidably disposed along, guide tracks 186 and 187 of theprocessor-projector unit 178. Connected to the support member 185 is abracket 188 which rotatably supports a roller 189. This roller 189, orat least its peripheral surface, is preferably formed of rubber. A pin190 extends through a slot 191 provided in the top panel 180 of the unit178 and thence through a bore 192 of the support member 185. Mounted onthe end of the pin 190 extending exteriorly of the panel 180 is a handknob 193 which includes a reduced stem portion 195 adapted to seat in anannular recess 197 provided in the top panel in communication with theslot 191. A spring 199, mounted on the end of the pin 190 positionedinternally of the processor-projector unit 178 and connected to thesupport member 185, continually urges the pin and the hand knob 193attached thereto inwardly of the unit 178. A second spring 201 connectedto the support plate 185 continually urges the support plate in aleft-handed direction along the guide tracks 186 and 187 as viewed inFIGS. 7 and 9. Thus, when the roller 189 is in the position shown in thedrawings wherein-it extends a slight distance into the slot 182, thereduced stem portion 195 of the hand knob 193 seats in the recess 197under the force of the spring 186. It will thus be recognized that, withthe roller 189 in the position shown in those figures of the drawings,the leading edge of the fluid containing pod 76 furthest removed fromthe fluid feeding device 80 will be first contacted by the roller as thecassette 10, less its plate 14, is inserted into the slot 182. Thence,in the course of completing the insertion of the cassette 10 into theprocessor-projector unit 178, the roller 189 exerts a compressive forceprogressively along the entire length of the assembly comprising thecollapsible pod 76 and the fluid feeding device 80. This compressiveforce first causes the pods weakened seal 78 to rupture and then theprocessing fluid 94 to be expelled therefrom through the fluid feedingdevice 80 into the reservoir chamber 84 of the applicator system 88. Itwill also be appreciated that, with the hand knob 193 withdrawn from therecess 197 and displaced to its furthermost left hand direction alongthe slot 188 as viewed in FIG. 7, under the force of the spring 201, acassette 10 including its removable plate 14 may be inserted into theslot 182 free of any interference from the roller 189.

A pin 194 (See FIG. 6) of the processor-projector unit 178 is positionedto be in alignment with the cassettes aperture 70 once the cassette hasbeen fully inserted into that unit. A spring 196 mounted on the pin 194continually urges that pin in a direction away from the cassette 10.However, a tapered arm 198 slidably mounted within theprocessor-projector unit 178 and extending through that unit's top panel180 contacts the pin 194 to restrain its movement away from the cassette10. This arrangement permits the operator to manipulate the arm 198 toselectively drive the pin 194 internally of the cassette 10 againsttheresilient member 62 to effect a snubbing of the idlers 28 and 30.

Returning again to FIG. 7 of the drawings, a pin 200 is journaledthrough the top panel 180 of the processor-projector unit 178 and a handknob 202 is mounted on the end of that pin extending externally of theunit 178. A cam track member 204 is mounted on the other end of the pin200 and its cam track 206 is adapted to receive one end 208 of a pin156. This pin 156 is connected to a leaf spring 210 and is slidablydisposed along a slot 212 of that element. It will be noted that theslot 212 is positioned adjacent one end of the leaf spring 210 while theother end of that member is affixed to the housing of theprocessobprojector unit 178. The force of the spring 210 continuallyurges the pin 156 away from the cassette 10 so that its end 208 isseated in the cam track 206. When the pin 156 is in its lowermostposition along the spring 210 as viewed in FIG. 7, its other end 214 isaligned with the cassettes elongated slot 158 and is thus adapted to beseated in the circular aperture 154 of the actuator 110. The cam track206 is specially configured so that, with the cassette 10 mounted in theunit 178, the first 90 rotation of the hand knob 202 in acounterclockwise direction will effect a displacement of the pin 156inwardly of the cassette 10 whereby its end 214 seats in the actuator'scircular aperture 154. Completion of a 360 counterclockwise rotation ofthe hand knob 202 drives the pin 156 upwardly along the slot 212 of theleaf spring 210 to effect a displacement of the actuator 110 from itsposition shown in FIG. of the drawings to its position illustrated inFIG. 4. It will be recalled that, in the course of displacing theactuator 1 against the force of the spring 138, the support plate 172slidably engages the film strip against the strip of flexible material132 over the orifice 106.

After the cassette 10 has been fully inserted into the unit 178, driveshafts (not shown) of that unit engage the fluid recesses 174 and 176 ofthe supply reel 16 and the takeup reel 18, respectively. Theseshaftsafi; connected in a conventional manner to a motor (not shown) ofthe unit 178 in order to facilitate selective reversible transport ofthe film strip 20 between the supply reel 16 and the takeup reel 18. Asis conventional, the drive shaft which engages the takeup reel 18 isconnected to that motor through a friction clutching arrangement.Appropriate switches (not shown) for selectively energizing thecassettes supply reel 16 and takeup reel 18 are conveniently located ona control panel 216 of the processor-projector unit 178.

The processor-projector unit 178 also includes other conventionalelements, e.g., an intermittent film advancement mechanism, a lightsource, a shutter mechanism and a lens system. The light source 218 ofthe processor-projector unit 178 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG.2 and is positioned such that its light rays are directed through theconcave light receiving transparent face 50 of the light receivingelement 48 when the cassette 10 is mounted in the processor-projectorunit. Operation of this light source 218 is controlled by a button (notshown) positioned on the control panel 216. Once the film strip 20 hasbeen processed, the light source 218 can be energized and its light rayswill be redirected by the cassettes light reflecting element 48outwardly of the cassette through the film strip 20 and the film gate32. These now image-carrying light rays are then further redirected by aplurality of mirrors 220, 222 and 224 and focused by the projectors lenssystem onto a viewing screen 226 mounted in the front panel 228 of theprocessor-projector 178.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT To summarize the operation of thepreferred embodiment of thisinvention, the cassette 10 with its filmstrip 20 in an unexposed condition and substantially entirely coiled onthe supply reel 16 and with its processing fluid 94 retained within therupturable container 76 is adapted to be quick mounted in a camera (notshown). As previously explained, at this time the actuator 110 ispositioned as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings under the force exerted onit by the spring 138 through the strip of flexible material 132. Thecamera includes a friction clutched drive shaft which engages the recess176 of the takeup reel 18 and which can be selectively energized by thecamera's motor to advance the film strip 20 fromthe supply reel 16 ontothe takeup reel 18. During this process, the claw mechanism of thecamera engages the sprocket holes 60 of the film strip 20 to draw thefilm strip in incremental steps across the film gate 32 for exposurepurposes. In this manner, the operator can selectively record images onthe photosensitive film strip 20 as it traverses the film gate 32. Afterthe film strip 20 has been completely exposed, the cassette 10 can bequickly removed from the camera and replaced, when desired, by anidentical cassette containing unexposed film.

Prior to inserting the cassette 10 into the processor-projecting unit178, its plate 14 should be removed, and hand knob 193 of the unit 178displaced along the slot 191 to its furthermost right-hand position asviewed in FIG. 7 of the drawings and the tapered arm 198 displaced toits uppermost position as viewed in FIG. 6. Also, at the time thecassette 10 is inserted into the processor-projector unit 178, the handknob 202 of that unit should be in its position as shown in FIG. 7wherein the pin 156 is in its furthermost right-hand position. As thecassette l0 enters the slot 182, its rupturable pod 76 and then itsfluid feeding device are progressively engaged by the roller 189. Thisinsertion process, as previously explained, causes the processing fluid94 to be expelled from the pod 76 through the fluid feeding device 80into the reservoir chamber 84 of the applicator system 88. Additionally,after the cassette 10 has been fully inserted into theprocessor-projector unit 178, the aforementioned drive shafts of thatunit engage the fluted recesses 174 and 176 of the cassettes supply andtakeup reels 16 and 18, respectively.

The operator may now turn the hand knob 202 360 in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 7 to-seat the pin 156 into thecircular aperture 154 of the applicator system's actuator 110 and todisplace that actuator from its position as shown in FIG. to itsposition shown in FIG. 4. In the course of this operation, the supportplate 172 slidably engages the strip of photographic material 20 againstthe flexible material 132 over the orifice 106, which orifice is now inan unsealed condition.

Additionally, this counterclockwise rotation of the hand knob 202displaces the cleaning pad 152 into contact with the film strip 20adjacent the orifice 106 (See FIG. 8).

By then turning anappropriate switch located on the control panel 216 ofthe processor-projector unit 178, the exposed strip of material 20 isreturned from the takeup reel 18 to the supply reel 16. During thissequence, the exposed photographic film strip 20 passes across theorifice 106 and draws processing fluid 94 from the applicator systemsreservoir chamber 84 to form a uniform fluid coating along its entirelength. Any foreign particles on the surface of the film strips 20 areremoved by the cleaning pad 152 immediately prior to the surface beingtreated with the processing fluid 94. It will further be noted that,with the cassette 10 inserted into the unit 178, the orifice 106 isdisposed adjacent the lowermost portion of the reservoir chamber '84 andthe force of gravity causes processing fluid 94 to be continually fedfrom the reservoir chamber through that orifice onto the film strip 20.It will also be recalled that the actuators prong 118 is spaced ashorter distance from the sidewall 104 of the applicators housing member95 than is the end face 122 of the rectangular projection 108.Consequently, the strip of flexible material 132 is disposed out ofcontact with the film strip intermediate the projection 108 and theprong 118. This unique arrangement permits the film strip 20 to drawprocessing fluid 94 from the orifice 106. In this connection, referenceis made to FIG. 8 which depicts the orientation of the strip of flexiblematerial 132, the opening 142 therein, the doctor blade 111 and theexposed film strip 20 at the time the film strip is slidably engagedagainst the flexible material by the support plate 172. It will be seenfrom this particular figure of the drawings, that the thickness of thecoating of the processing fluid 94 applied to the film strip 20 is afunction of the thickness of the strip of flexible material 132.

The motor of the processor-projector unit 178 is automaticallydeenergized by conventional means (not shown) as soon as the entirelength of exposed film strip 20 has been drawn across the orifice 106onto the supply reel 16. At this time, the orifice 106 should once againbe sealed. Also, at this time the support plate 172 should be returnedto its original position to permit the film strip 20 to return to aposition where it is disposed out of contact with both the support plateand the strip of flexible material 132. These operations areaccomplished by rotating the hand knob 202 in a clockwise directionuntil it has reached its original position (See FIG. 7). Thus, theactuator 110 is returned to its position as shown in FIG. 5 and the pin156 is withdrawn from the cassette 10. Additionally, the operator shoulddisplace the tapered arm 189 inwardly of the processor-projector unit178 to effect a snubbing of the idlers 28 and 30.

By then turning a second switch (not shown) mounted on the control panel216, the light source 218 of the processorprojector unit 178 and thatunits motor are simultaneously energized, in this instance, the motordriving both the intermittent film advancement mechanism of the unit 178and the takeup reel 18 of the cassette 10. As the now fully processedfilm strip 20 is once again drawn across the film gate 32 onto thetakeup reel 18 visible images contained thereon are projected onto thescreen 226 for viewing purposes. Again, conventional means (not shown)automatically deenergized the light source 218 and the motor of the unit178 once the entire processed film strip 20 has been projected.

The roller 189 is preferably returned to its original position withinthe processor-projector unit 178 prior to removing the cassette 10 fromthe slot 182. This is accomplished by withdrawing the hand knob 193 fromthe recess 197 to permit the spring 199 to urge the support member 185to its furthermost left-hand position as viewed in FIG. 7 of thedrawings. Also preferably, the film strip 20 is returned from the takeupreel 18 to the supply reel 16 before removing the cassette 10 from theprocessor-projector unit 178. Once the cassette 10 has been removed fromthat unit 178, its plate 14 should be replaced. In this condition, thecassette 10 may be conveniently stored until it is again desired to viewthe developed film strip 20 contained therein. Later insertions of thecassette 10 containing the developed film strip 20 into theprocessorprojector unit 178 to facilitate subsequent viewings arepreferably effected with the cassettes removable plate 14 in place andthe roller 189 located in its last-stated position.

Editing of the developed film strip 20 can easily be effected. It isonly necessary to draw a loop of the film strip 20 from the film gate 32and to remove sections therefrom and to splice sections thereinto asdesired.

Those familiar with the motion picture arts will readily appreciate thenovel and highly unique advantages of this invention. An inexpensive andefficient system is provided for uniformly coating a strip of exposedphotographic material with processing fluid. lmportantly, this systemassures that there will be no desirable leakage of processing fluideither prior or subsequent to the application of that fluid to theexposed film strip and, further, assures that the processing fluid willbe applied to an impurity-free film strip surface. This unique system isparticularly well adapted for incorporation into a compact multipurposemotion picture film handling cassette to greatly simplify the task ofthe photographer and to permit him to quickly develop his own picturesin a unique processor-projector unit.

The term projector" is used herein in a comprehensive sense, i.e., tobroadly refer to those systems wherein the visible images recorded on asheet of 'material are reimaged for viewing purposes and is notrestricted to only those systems in which the recorded visible imagesare projected onto a screen of one type or another.

This invention may be practiced or embodied in still other ways withoutdeparting from the spirit of essential character thereof. For instance,in some applications it may very well prove desirable to mount thespring 138 to the housing member of the applicator system 88 rather thanfrom the housing of the cassette. Also a spring 138 may be employed ofinsufficient force by itself to return the actuator from its positionshown in FIG. 4 to that shown in FIG. 5, since the displacement of thepin 156 can exert the necessary force on the actuator to effect such adisplacement thereof. The preferred embodiment described herein istherefore illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the inventionbeing indicated by the appended claims and all variations which comewithin the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising:

a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may be retainedand having an orifice through which such processing fluid may beexpressed;

first means for transversely advancing progressive sections of suchstrip of exposed photographic material into alignment with said orifice;

second means slidably interposed between said orifice and such strip ofexposed photographic material for selectively sealing and unsealing saidorifice and for controlling the thickness of the coating of such fluidapplied to such strip of exposed photographic material when said secondmeans is in its unsealing relationship with respect to said orifice andsuch strip of exposed photographic material is seated against saidsecond means; and

third means for slidably seating progressive sections of such strip ofexposed photographic material disposed in alignment'with said orificeagainst said second means.

- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein said second means comprises a stripof flexible material having an opening provided therethrough, saidopening being disposed to be in alignment with said orifice when saidsecond means is in an unsealing relationship to said orifice and out ofalignment with said orifice when said second means is in a sealingrelationship to said orifice.

3. A system for applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising:

a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may be retainedand having an orifice of a fixed given size and shape through which suchprocessing fluid may be expressed therefrom;

means for initially positioning a section of such strip of exposedphotographic material in alignment with said orifice and spaced aparttherefrom;

means for selectively sealing and unsealing said orifice, said sealingand unsealing means including a member mounted for displacement acrosssaid orifice;

means for progressively advancing such strip of exposed photographicmaterial along a path transverse said orifice when said orifice isunsealed; and

- means for displacing such strip of material from its initial positionspaced apart from said orifice into operative relationship with saidorifice as such strip of exposed photographic material is progressivelyadvanced across said orifice and said orifice is unsealed, saiddisplacing means serving'to automatically bring the section ofsuch stripof photographic material aligned with said orifice into operablerelationship with said orifice whenever said orifice is unsealed and toautomatically facilitate the return of the section of such strip ofphotographic material aligned with said orifice to a position out ofoperable relationship with said orifice when said orifice is sealed,whereby such processing fluid may be expressed from said container ontosuch strip of exposed photographic material to form a fluid coatingalong substantially its entire length.

4., The system of claim 3 wherein said orifice sealing and unsealingmeans controls the thickness of the coating of such processing fluidapplied to such strip of photographic material.

5. A system for applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising:

a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may be retainedand having an orifice through which such processing fluid may beexpressed therefrom;

first means for effecting relative motion between said orifice andprogressive sections of such strip of exposed photo- 1 graphic materialin alignment therewith;

second means, disposed across said orifice intermediate said orifice andthe section of such strip of exposed photographic material in alignmenttherewith and mounted with respect to said container for relativeslidable movement across said orifice, for sealing said orifice when ina first position with respect thereto and for unsealing said orificewhen in a second position with respect thereto;

and

third means for effecting slidable engagement between the section ofsuch strip of exposed photographic material disposed in alignment withsaid orifice and the section of said second means disposed across saidorifice when said second means is in its said second position, wherebysuch producing fluid may be expressed from said container onto suchstrip of exposed photographic material to form a fluid coatingtherealong when said second means is in its said second position.

6. A system for applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising:

a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may be retainedand having an orifice through which such processing fluid may beexpressed therefrom;

first means for progressively advancing such strip of exposedphotographic material across said orifice;

second means slidably disposed across said orifice intermediate saidorifice and the section of such strip of photographic material inalignment therewith, for sealing said orifice when in a first positionwith respect thereto and for unsealing said orifice when in a secondposition with respect thereto; and

third means for effecting slidable engagement between the section ofsuch strip of exposed photographic material disposed in alignment withsaid orifice and the section of said second means disposed across saidorifice when said second means is in its said second position, wherebysuch processing fluid may be expressed from said container onto suchstrip of exposed photographic material to form a fluid coatingtherealong when said second means is in its said second position.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein such strip of exposed photographicmaterial is disposed in spaced relationship to said second means whensaid second means is in its said first position.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said third means comprises a springextending from said container and a support plate connected to saidspring in alignment with said orifice on the opposite side of such stripof exposed photographic material from said orifice.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said third means includes an actuatorconnected to said second means and mounted to engage said spring wherebysaid actuator restrains displacement of said support plate towards saidorifice when said second means is in its said first position and saidactuator may be moved to simultaneously displace said second means fromits said first position to its said second position and to permit saidspring to urge said support plate towards said orifice to slidablyengage such strip of unexposed photographic material against said secondmeans when said second means is in its said second position.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein said second means comprises a strip offlexible material slidably disposed across said orifice. 7

11. A system for applying a coating of a processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising:

a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may be retainedand including a projection defining an orifice through which suchprocessing fluid may be expressed therefrom;

first means for progressively advancing such strip of exposedphotographic material across said orifice;

second means including a strip of flexible material slidably disposedacross said orifice intermediate said orifice and the section of suchstrip of photographic material in alignment therewith, for sealing saidorifice when in a first position with respect thereto and for unsealingsaid orifice when in a second position with respect thereto; and

third means for effecting slidable engagement between the section ofsuch strip of exposed photographic material disposed in alignment withsaid orifice and the section of said strip of flexible material disposedacross said orifice when said strip of flexible material is in itssecond position, said strip of flexible material turning inwardlytowards said container on one side of said projection at least when suchstrip of flexible material is in its second position and having anopening located therethrough to be disposed out of alignment with saidorifice when in its said first position so that said orifice is sealedby said strip of flexible material and to be disposed in alignment withsaid orifice when in its said second position so that processing fluidretained in said container may be expressed through said orifice, saidopening being of sufficient size to extend beyond said one side of saidprojection when said strip of flexible material is in its secondposition, whereby such processing fluid may be expressed from saidcontainer onto such strip of exposed photographic material to form afluid coating therealong when said strip of flexible material is in itssaid second position.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said third means includes an actuatorto which one end of said strip of flexible material is connected andadditionally comprising biasing means connected to the other end of saidstrip of flexible material for continually urging said strip of flexiblematerial towards its said first position.

13. The system of claim 12 additionally comprising means for directingsaid'strip of flexible material inwardly towards said container from theplane of the section thereof disposed across said projection on theother side of said projection from said one end of said strip offlexible material and a cleaning pad mounted on said strip of flexiblematerial adjacent said opening on the side thereof furthest removed fromsaid one end of said strip of flexible material, whereby said cleaningpad is disposed out of the plane of the section of such photographicmaterial in alignment with said orifice when said strip of flexiblematerial is in its said first position and said cleaning pad extendsinto said plane when said strip of flexible material is in its saidsecond position.

14. An applicator system useful in applying a coating of processingfluid to a strip of exposed photographic material comprising:

a housing defining a reservoir chamber in which such processing fluidmay be retained and having means defining an orifice through which suchprocessing fluid may be expressed therefrom; strip of flexible materialslidably seated across the end face of the peripheral edges of saidorifice for movement from a first position to a second position anddirected inv wardly towards said housing on one side of said orifice atleast when in its said second position, said strip of flexible materialhaving an opening located therethrough to be disposed out of alignmentwith said orifice when in its said first position so that said orificeis sealed by said strip of flexible material and to be disposed inalignment with said orifice when in its said second position so thatsuch processing fluid retained in said reservoir area may be expressedthrough said orifice, said opening being of sufficient size to extendbeyond said one side of said orifice when said strip of flexiblematerial is in its said second position; and

means for selectively slidably displacing said strip of flexiblematerial from its said first position to its said second position,whereby when said flexible material is in its said second position, asection of such strip of photographic material may be seated against thesection of said flexible material disposed across said end face of theperipheral edges of said orifice and relative motion of such strip ofexposed photographic material across said section of said flexiblematerial thereafter in a direction towards said one side of said orificefrom said orifice facilitates the expression of such processing fluidthrough said orifice to form a coating thereof along such strip ofphotographic material.

15. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein said orifice isrectangular in configuration and said opening includes a pair ofparallel sides disposed lengthwise along said strip of flexiblematerial, said parallel sides of said opening being aligned with a pairof opposed sides of said orifice when said strip of flexible material isin its said second position.

16. The applicator system of claim 15 wherein said opening additionallyincludes a pair of lateral sides connecting adjacent ends of saidparallel sides thereof, said lateral sides tapering outwardly away fromsaid adjacent ends of said parallel sides of said opening to a pointintermediate said parallel sides, whereby interference between saidlateral sides of said opening and said peripheral edges of said orificeis minimized as such strip of flexible material slides across said endface of said peripheral edges of said orifice responsive to said meansfor displacing such strip of flexible material.

17. The applicator system of claim 15 additionally comprising a cleaningpad mounted across said strip of flexible material adjacent said openingon the opposite side thereof from that portion thereof adapted to extendbeyond said one side of said orifice inwardly towards said housing whensaid strip of flexible material is in its said second position, wherebysaid relative motion will result in such exposed strip of photographicmaterial contacting said pad immediately prior to being treated withsaid processing fluid.

18. The applicator system of claim 17 additionally comprising means fordirecting said strip of flexible material inwardly of said housing outof the plane of said section thereof seated across said orifice on theother side of said orifice from said one side thereof, whereby saidcleaning pad is disposed out of the plane of said section of saidflexible material seated across said orifice when said flexible materialis in its said first position and extends through said plane when saidflexible material is in its said second position.

19. The applicator system of claim 14 where said stripof flexiblematerial is formed of a material selected from the group consisting ofpolymeric material and sheet metal.

20. The applicator system of claim 18 wherein said strip of flexiblematerial is formed of a material selected from the group consisting ofpolymeric material and sheet metal.

21. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein said means for displacingsaid strip of flexible material includes an actuator and guide meansassociated with said housing for slidably receiving said actuator.

22. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein said housing includes apair of opposed walls interconnected by a sidewall, said orifice islocated in said sidewall and said means for displacing said strip offlexible material comprises an actuator and guide tracks associated withone of said opposed walls for slidably receiving said actuator. I

23. The applicator system of claim 22 wherein said actuator comprises aprong extending across said sidewall and placed in closer relationshipto said sidewall than said end face of the peripheral edges of saidorifice and to which one end of said strip of flexible material isconnected.

24. The applicator system of claim 22 wherein said guide tracks areformed in the outside face of said one of said opposed walls and saidactuator includes an integrally formed spring member adapted to beengaged by an externally mounted member to firmly seat said actuator insaid guide tracks.

25. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein one end of said strip offlexible material is connected to said means for displacing said stripof flexible material and additionally including biasing means connectedto the other end of said strip of flexible material for continuallyurging said strip of flexible material towards its said first position.

26. The applicator system of claim 23 additionally including biasingmeans connected to the other end of said strip of flexible material forcontinually urging said strip of material into its said first position.

27. The applicator system of claim 14 additionally comprising a pair ofshoulders extending from said housing adjacent respective sides of saidstrip of flexible material so as to restrain lateral movement of saidstrip of flexible material.

28. The applicator system of claim 22 additionally comprising a pair ofshoulders extending from said sidewall adjacent respective sides of saidstrip of flexible material so as to restrain lateral movement of saidstrip of flexible material.

29. The applicator system of claim 14 additionally comprising a supportplate disposed on the other side of said strip of flexible material fromsaid orifice and initially spaced from said strip of flexible material,whereby such strip of photographic material may be progressivelyadvanced between and in spaced relationship to said strip of flexiblematerial and said support plate, when said strip of flexible material isin its said first position, and means for effecting relative movementbetween said support plate and said housing towards each other when saidstrip of flexible material is in its said second position whereby suchphotographic material is slidably engaged against said flexible materialby said support plate.

30. The applicator system of claim 29 wherein said means for effectingrelative movement of said support plate and said 32. The applicatorsystem of claim 31 wherein said spring is generally U-shaped and itsbase is mounted on said housing and said support plate is pivotablymounted intermediate its open ends.

33. The applicator system of claim 32 additionally including a springmounted from said sidewall and a support plate connected to said springin alignment with said orifice, the inherent force of said springcontinually urging said support plate towards said orifice, said prongcontacting said spring to restrain said support plate in spacedrelationship to said strip of flexible material when in its said firstposition and removed from contact with said spring to permit said springto displace said support plate from said spaced relationship to saidstrip of flexible material towards. said strip of flexible material whensaid prong is in its said second position.

34. An applicator system useful in applying a coating of processingfluid to a strip of exposed photographic material comprising:

a pair of opposed walls;

a sidewall extending adjacent the peripheral edges of said opposed wallsand connected thereto to define a reservoir chamber in which suchprocessing fluid may be disposed, said opposed walls and said sidewallbeing configured to provide a substantially planar section along thelength of said sidewall, said section having a rectangular orificeprovided therethrough with two parallel sides of said orifice extendinglengthwise along said section;

a projection extending from said sidewall along the periphery of saidorifice;

a pair of guide tracks associated with the outside face of one of saidopposed walls and disposed in parallel relationship to said planarsection of said sidewall;

an actuator slidably disposed in said guide tracks including a prongextending over the face of said planar section of said sidewall andspaced therefrom a distance less than the end face of said projection,said actuator adapted to being displaced along said guide tracks tofacilitate the movement of said prong from a first position with respectto said orifice to a second position disposed a greater distance fromsaid orifice; and

a strip of flexible material disposed over said end face of saidprojection and having one of its ends connected to said prong and itsother end biased in a direction away from said prong whereby said stripof flexible material continually urges said prong towards said orifice,said strip of flexible material having an opening provided therethroughand located therein to be in registry with said orifice when said prongis in its second position and out of registry with said orifice whensaid prong is in its said first position at which time said orifice issealed by strip of flexible material, said opening being of sufficientsize to extend beyond the side of said projection most closely adjacentsaid prong when said prong is in its said second position,

35. A compact multipurpose motion picture film handling cassettecomprising:

an enclosed opaque housing configured to be mounted in a camera tofacilitate film exposure operations and then in a second photographicapparatus to facilitate film processing operations;

a film gate for access of image carrying light rays into said opaquehousing;

a dispensing container mounted within said opaque housing in whichprocessing fluid may be retained and having an orifice through whichsuch processing fluid may be expressed therefrom; I

an unexposed photographic film strip coiled at an initial positionwithin said opaque housing;

means responsive to drive means of such camera and apparatus foradvancing said film strip within said opaque housing and for returningsaid film strip to its initial position, whereby said unexposed filmstrip may be first progressively brought into operative relationship tosaid film gate for exposure purposes and subsequently, in an exposedcondition, progressively passed across said orifice; and

means for selectively sealing and unsealing said orifice whereby, aftersaid film strip has been exposed to said image carrying light rays torecord images thereon and said orifice is unsealed, such processingfluid may be expressed from said container to form a fluid coatingtherealong.

36. A compact multipurpose motion picture film handling cassettecomprising:

an enclosed opaque housing configured to be mounted in a camera tofacilitate film exposure operations and then in a second photographicapparatus to facilitate filmprocessing operations;

an unexposed photographic film strip coiled at an initial positionwithin said opaque housing; 1

a film gate for access of light to selective incremental portions ofsaid film strip;

a second housing mounted within said opaque housing defining a reservoirchamber in which processing fluid may be retained and having an orificethrough which such processing fluid may be expressed therefrom;

first means responsive to drive means of such camera and such apparatusfor progressively transporting said film strip within said opaquehousing into operative relationship with said film gate for exposurepurposes and across said orifice for processing purposes;

second means slidably disposed across said orifice intermediate saidorifice and the section of said film strip in alignment therewith forsealing said orifice when in a first position with respect thereto andfor unsealing said orifice when in a second position with respectthereto; and

third means for effecting slidable engagement between said section ofsaid film strip disposed in alignment with said orifice and the sectionof said second means disposed across said orifice when said second meansis in its said second position, whereby such processing fluid may beexpressed from said reservoir chamber onto said film strip to form afluid coating therealong after said film strip has been exposed to imagecarrying light rays during advancement thereof in operative relationshipto said film gate.

37. A cassette comprising:

an enclosed opaque housing;

an unexposed photographic strip coiled at an initial position withinsaid opaque housing;

a film gate for access of light to selective incremental portions ofsaid film strip;

a second housing mounted within said opaque housing defining a reservoirchamber in which processing fluid may be retained and having an orificethrough which such processing fluid may be expressed therefrom;

first means for advancing said film strip within said opaque housing andfor returning said film strip to its initial position, whereby said filmstrip may be selectively progressively transported into operativerelationship with said film gate and across said orifice;

second means slidably disposed across said orifice intermediate saidorifice and the section of said film strip in alignment therewith forsealing said orifice when in a first position with respect thereto andfor unsealing said orifice when in a second position with respectthereto;

third means for effecting slidable engagement between said section ofsaid film strip disposed in alignment with said orifice and the sectionof said second means disposed across said orifice whemid second means isin its said second position; and

' an actuator connected to said second means and mounted for slidablemotion with respect to said second housing and adapted to be engaged byan externally mounted force-applying member, said enclosed opaquehousing having a slot provided therethrough adapted to receive suchexternally mounted force applying member into engagement with saidactuator, whereby such processing fluid may be expressed from saidreservoir chamber onto said film strip to form a fluid coatingtherealong after said film strip has been exposed to image carryinglight rays during advancement thereof in operative relationship to saidfilm gate.

38. The cassette of claim 37 wherein said second means includes a stripof flexible material slidably disposed across said orifice.

39. The cassette of claim 38 wherein an opening is provided 7 tioned inalignment with said orifice when said strip of flexible 7 material is inits said second position.

40. A motion picture film handling system comprising:

a cassette including:

an enclosed opaque housing;

a film gate for access of image carrying light rays into said opaquehousing;

a dispensing container mounted within said opaque housing in whichprocessing fluid may be retained and having an orifice through whichsuch processing fluid may be expressed therefrom;

an unexposed photographic film strip coiled at an initial positionwithin said opaque housing;

means adapted to be driven by externally mounted drive means foradvancing said film strip within said opaque housing and for returningsaid film strip to its initial position; and

means for initially sealing and then unsealing said orifice;

and

a processing unit including:

means for receiving said cassette; a force-applying member; and

means for introducing said force-applying member into such cassette toengage said sealing and unsealing means of said cassette and fordisplacing said sealing and unsealing means from its initial sealedrelationship with said orifice into its unsealed relationship with saidorifice; and

drive means adapted to engage said cassette film strip advancing means;

whereby, after said unexposed film strip has been exposed to such imagecarrying light rays, it may be progressively passed across said orificewhen said orifice is in its unsealed condition to facilitate suchprocessing fluid being expressed from said container to form a fluidcoating along said exposed film strip.

41. Apparatus useful in processing a strip of exposed photographicmaterial coiled win a film handling cassette, such cassette including ahousing defining a reservoir chamber in which processing fluid may beretained and having an orifice through which such processing fluid maybe expressed from such reservoir chamber, first means slidably displacedacross such orifice for sealing such orifice when in a first positionwith respect thereto and for unsealing such orifice when in a secondposition with respect thereto, second means for progressively advancingsuch strip of exposed photographic material across such orifice whensuch first means is in its second position, an actuator adapted to beoperably engaged by an externally mounted force-applying member andconnected to such first means, and access means for receiving suchforce-applying member into such cassette into operable engagement withsuch actuator and for subsequently permitting displacement of suchactuator from a first position wherein such first means is in its firstposition to a second position wherein such first means is in its secondposition, comprising:

means for receiving such cassette;

a force-applying member; and

means for introducing said force-applying member into such cassettethrough such access means into operable engagement with such actuatorand for subsequently displacing said force-applying member whereby suchfirst means of such cassette is moved from its first position to itssecond position.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said force-applying memberincludes a pin and said means for introducing said force-applying memberinto operable engagement with such actuator and for subsequentlydisplacing said force-applying member includes a cam track adapted toreceive one end of said pin.

43. Apparatus for processing a strip of exposed photographic materialcontained in a film handling cassette, such cassette including acollapsible container in which processing fluid is initially stored,such collapsible container having a weakened portion adapted to rupturewhen such fluid stored therein is subjected to predetermined pressureresponsive to a force-applying member being pressed against suchcollapsible container, an applicator disposed in operative relationshipto such strip of exposed photographic material and means for feedingsuch fluid to such applicator when such weakened portion of suchcollapsible container is ruptured, comprising:

means for receiving such cassette having a slot through which suchcassette can be inserted into said apparatus;-

a roller disposed within said apparatus adjacent said slot to initiallycontact the edge of such collapsible container furthermost removed fromsuch weakened portion as such cassette is partially inserted into saidcassette receiving means and to progressively apply a compressive forceacross said collapsible container from such edge thereof to suchweakened portion in the process of completing the insertion of suchcassette into said apparatus whereby such weakened portion isautomatically ruptured and such fluid automatically expelled from suchcollapsible container in the process of inserting such cassette intosaid apparatus.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein such cassette additionallyincludes a removable cover plate initially protecting such collapsiblecontainer and said apparatus additionally comprises means forselectively displacing said roller from its position adjacent said slotto a second position removed from said slot so that when said roller isin its said second position such cassette including its such cover platemay be inserted into said apparatus free from interference with saidroller.

45. A compact multipurpose motion picture film handling cassettecomprising:

a substantially enclosed opaque housing configured to be mounted in acamera to facilitate film exposure operations and then in a secondphotographic apparatus to facilitate film processing operations;

an unexposed photographic film strip stored within said housing;

a film gate for access of light to selective incremental portions ofsaid film strip first means within said housing for initially storing aquantity of processing fluid and for facilitating the expressing of suchfluid therefrom, said first means including an orifice;

second means for progressively transporting said film strip within saidhousing across said film gate for exposure purposes responsive to drivemeans of such camera when said cassette is mounted in such camera andthen across said orifice for processing purposes responsive to drivemeans of such second photographic apparatus when said cassette ismounted in such second photographic apparatus; and I third means withinsaid housing for selectively sealing said orifice so that said orificemay be sealed after said film strip has been treated with such fluid.

46. The cassette of claim 45 wherein said third means serves to controlthe thickness of fluid coating supplied to said film strip duringfilm-processing operations.

47. A compact motion picture film handling cassette comprising:

said orifice for processing purposes;

second means for sealing said orifice when in a first position withrespect thereto intermediate said orifice and said film strip and forunsealing said orifice when in a second position with respect theretointermediate said orifice and said film strip;

third means for effecting relative motion between said second housingand said second means to selectively effect at least the sealing of saidorifice; and

fourth means for effecting slidable engagement of the section of saidfilm strip disposed in alignment with said orifice and the section ofsaid second means disposed adjacent said orifice when said second meansis in its said second position with respect to said orifice, wherebysuch processing fluid may be expressed from said reservoir chamber ontosaid film strip to form a fluid coating therealong after said film striphas been exposed to image carrying light rays during advancement thereofin operative relationship to said film gate.

1. A system for applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip ofexposed photographic material comprising: a dispensing container inwhich such processing fluid may be retained and having an orificethrough which such processing fluid may be expressed; first means fortransversely advancing progressive sections of such strip of exposedphotographic material into alignment with said orifice; second meansslidably interposed between said orifice and such strip of exposedphotographic material for selectively sealing and unsealing said orificeand for controlling the thickness of the coating of such fluid appliedto such strip of exposed photographic material when said second means isin its unsealing relationship with respect to said orifice and suchstrip of exposed photographic material is seated against said secondmeans; and third means for slidably seating progressive sections of suchstrip of exposed photographic material disposed in alignment with saidorifice against said second means.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein saidsecond means comprises a strip of flexible material having an openingprovided therethrough, said opening being disposed to be in alignmentwith said orifice when said second means is in an unsealing relationshipto said orifice and out of alignment with said orifice when said secondmeans is in a sealing relationship to said orifice.
 3. A system forapplying a coating of processing fluid to a strip of exposedphotographic material comprising: a dispensing container in which suchprocessing fluid may be retained and having an orifice of a fixed givensize and shape through which such processing fluid may be expressedtherefrom; means for initially positioning a section of such strip ofexposed photographic material in alignment with said orifice and spacedapart therefrom; means for selectively sealing and unsealing saidorifice, said sealing and unsealing means including a member mounted fordisplacement across said orifice; means for progressively advancing suchstrip of exposed photographic material along a path transverse saidorifice when said orifice is unsealed; and means for displacing suchstrip of material from its initial position spaced apart from saidorifice into operative relationship with said orifice as such strip ofexposed photographic material is progressively advanced across saidorifice and said orifice is unsealed, said displacing means serving toautomatically bring the section of such strip of photographic materialaligned with said orifice into operable relationship with said orificewhenever said orifice is unsealed and to automatically facilitate thereturn of the section of such strip of photographic material alignedwith said orifice to a pOsition out of operable relationship with saidorifice when said orifice is sealed, whereby such processing fluid maybe expressed from said container onto such strip of exposed photographicmaterial to form a fluid coating along substantially its entire length.4. The system of claim 3 wherein said orifice sealing and unsealingmeans controls the thickness of the coating of such processing fluidapplied to such strip of photographic material.
 5. A system for applyinga coating of processing fluid to a strip of exposed photographicmaterial comprising: a dispensing container in which such processingfluid may be retained and having an orifice through which suchprocessing fluid may be expressed therefrom; first means for effectingrelative motion between said orifice and progressive sections of suchstrip of exposed photographic material in alignment therewith; secondmeans, disposed across said orifice intermediate said orifice and thesection of such strip of exposed photographic material in alignmenttherewith and mounted with respect to said container for relativeslidable movement across said orifice, for sealing said orifice when ina first position with respect thereto and for unsealing said orificewhen in a second position with respect thereto; and third means foreffecting slidable engagement between the section of such strip ofexposed photographic material disposed in alignment with said orificeand the section of said second means disposed across said orifice whensaid second means is in its said second position, whereby such producingfluid may be expressed from said container onto such strip of exposedphotographic material to form a fluid coating therealong when saidsecond means is in its said second position.
 6. A system for applying acoating of processing fluid to a strip of exposed photographic materialcomprising: a dispensing container in which such processing fluid may beretained and having an orifice through which such processing fluid maybe expressed therefrom; first means for progressively advancing suchstrip of exposed photographic material across said orifice; second meansslidably disposed across said orifice intermediate said orifice and thesection of such strip of photographic material in alignment therewith,for sealing said orifice when in a first position with respect theretoand for unsealing said orifice when in a second position with respectthereto; and third means for effecting slidable engagement between thesection of such strip of exposed photographic material disposed inalignment with said orifice and the section of said second meansdisposed across said orifice when said second means is in its saidsecond position, whereby such processing fluid may be expressed fromsaid container onto such strip of exposed photographic material to forma fluid coating therealong when said second means is in its said secondposition.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein such strip of exposedphotographic material is disposed in spaced relationship to said secondmeans when said second means is in its said first position.
 8. Thesystem of claim 7 wherein said third means comprises a spring extendingfrom said container and a support plate connected to said spring inalignment with said orifice on the opposite side of such strip ofexposed photographic material from said orifice.
 9. The system of claim8 wherein said third means includes an actuator connected to said secondmeans and mounted to engage said spring whereby said actuator restrainsdisplacement of said support plate towards said orifice when said secondmeans is in its said first position and said actuator may be moved tosimultaneously displace said second means from its said first positionto its said second position and to permit said spring to urge saidsupport plate towards said orifice to slidably engage such strip ofunexposed photographic material against said second means when saidsecond means is in its said secOnd position.
 10. The system of claim 6wherein said second means comprises a strip of flexible materialslidably disposed across said orifice.
 11. A system for applying acoating of a processing fluid to a strip of exposed photographicmaterial comprising: a dispensing container in which such processingfluid may be retained and including a projection defining an orificethrough which such processing fluid may be expressed therefrom; firstmeans for progressively advancing such strip of exposed photographicmaterial across said orifice; second means including a strip of flexiblematerial slidably disposed across said orifice intermediate said orificeand the section of such strip of photographic material in alignmenttherewith, for sealing said orifice when in a first position withrespect thereto and for unsealing said orifice when in a second positionwith respect thereto; and third means for effecting slidable engagementbetween the section of such strip of exposed photographic materialdisposed in alignment with said orifice and the section of said strip offlexible material disposed across said orifice when said strip offlexible material is in its second position, said strip of flexiblematerial turning inwardly towards said container on one side of saidprojection at least when such strip of flexible material is in itssecond position and having an opening located therethrough to bedisposed out of alignment with said orifice when in its said firstposition so that said orifice is sealed by said strip of flexiblematerial and to be disposed in alignment with said orifice when in itssaid second position so that processing fluid retained in said containermay be expressed through said orifice, said opening being of sufficientsize to extend beyond said one side of said projection when said stripof flexible material is in its second position, whereby such processingfluid may be expressed from said container onto such strip of exposedphotographic material to form a fluid coating therealong when said stripof flexible material is in its said second position.
 12. The system ofclaim 11 wherein said third means includes an actuator to which one endof said strip of flexible material is connected and additionallycomprising biasing means connected to the other end of said strip offlexible material for continually urging said strip of flexible materialtowards its said first position.
 13. The system of claim 12 additionallycomprising means for directing said strip of flexible material inwardlytowards said container from the plane of the section thereof disposedacross said projection on the other side of said projection from saidone end of said strip of flexible material and a cleaning pad mounted onsaid strip of flexible material adjacent said opening on the sidethereof furthest removed from said one end of said strip of flexiblematerial, whereby said cleaning pad is disposed out of the plane of thesection of such photographic material in alignment with said orificewhen said strip of flexible material is in its said first position andsaid cleaning pad extends into said plane when said strip of flexiblematerial is in its said second position.
 14. An applicator system usefulin applying a coating of processing fluid to a strip of exposedphotographic material comprising: a housing defining a reservoir chamberin which such processing fluid may be retained and having means definingan orifice through which such processing fluid may be expressedtherefrom; a strip of flexible material slidably seated across the endface of the peripheral edges of said orifice for movement from a firstposition to a second position and directed inwardly towards said housingon one side of said orifice at least when in its said second position,said strip of flexible material having an opening located therethroughto be disposed out of alignment with said orifice when in its said firstposition so that said orifice is sealed by said strip of flexiblematerial and to be disposed in alignment with said orifice when in itssaid second position so that such processing fluid retained in saidreservoir area may be expressed through said orifice, said opening beingof sufficient size to extend beyond said one side of said orifice whensaid strip of flexible material is in its said second position; andmeans for selectively slidably displacing said strip of flexiblematerial from its said first position to its said second position,whereby when said flexible material is in its said second position, asection of such strip of photographic material may be seated against thesection of said flexible material disposed across said end face of theperipheral edges of said orifice and relative motion of such strip ofexposed photographic material across said section of said flexiblematerial thereafter in a direction towards said one side of said orificefrom said orifice facilitates the expression of such processing fluidthrough said orifice to form a coating thereof along such strip ofphotographic material.
 15. The applicator system of claim 14 whereinsaid orifice is rectangular in configuration and said opening includes apair of parallel sides disposed lengthwise along said strip of flexiblematerial, said parallel sides of said opening being aligned with a pairof opposed sides of said orifice when said strip of flexible material isin its said second position.
 16. The applicator system of claim 15wherein said opening additionally includes a pair of lateral sidesconnecting adjacent ends of said parallel sides thereof, said lateralsides tapering outwardly away from said adjacent ends of said parallelsides of said opening to a point intermediate said parallel sides,whereby interference between said lateral sides of said opening and saidperipheral edges of said orifice is minimized as such strip of flexiblematerial slides across said end face of said peripheral edges of saidorifice responsive to said means for displacing such strip of flexiblematerial.
 17. The applicator system of claim 15 additionally comprisinga cleaning pad mounted across said strip of flexible material adjacentsaid opening on the opposite side thereof from that portion thereofadapted to extend beyond said one side of said orifice inwardly towardssaid housing when said strip of flexible material is in its said secondposition, whereby said relative motion will result in such exposed stripof photographic material contacting said pad immediately prior to beingtreated with said processing fluid.
 18. The applicator system of claim17 additionally comprising means for directing said strip of flexiblematerial inwardly of said housing out of the plane of said sectionthereof seated across said orifice on the other side of said orificefrom said one side thereof, whereby said cleaning pad is disposed out ofthe plane of said section of said flexible material seated across saidorifice when said flexible material is in its said first position andextends through said plane when said flexible material is in its saidsecond position.
 19. The applicator system of claim 14 where said stripof flexible material is formed of a material selected from the groupconsisting of polymeric material and sheet metal.
 20. The applicatorsystem of claim 18 wherein said strip of flexible material is formed ofa material selected from the group consisting of polymeric material andsheet metal.
 21. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein said meansfor displacing said strip of flexible material includes an actuator andguide means associated with said housing for slidably receiving saidactuator.
 22. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein said housingincludes a pair of opposed walls interconnected by a sidewall, saidorifice is located in said sidewall and said means for displacing saidstrip of flexible material comprises an actuator and guide tracksassociated with one of said opposed walls for slidably receiving saidactuator.
 23. The applicator system of claim 22 wherein said actuatorcomprises a prong extending across said sidewall and placed in closerrelationship to said sidewall than said end face of the peripheral edgesof said orifice and to which one end of said strip of flexible materialis connected.
 24. The applicator system of claim 22 wherein said guidetracks are formed in the outside face of said one of said opposed wallsand said actuator includes an integrally formed spring member adapted tobe engaged by an externally mounted member to firmly seat said actuatorin said guide tracks.
 25. The applicator system of claim 14 wherein oneend of said strip of flexible material is connected to said means fordisplacing said strip of flexible material and additionally includingbiasing means connected to the other end of said strip of flexiblematerial for continually urging said strip of flexible material towardsits said first position.
 26. The applicator system of claim 23additionally including biasing means connected to the other end of saidstrip of flexible material for continually urging said strip of materialinto its said first position.
 27. The applicator system of claim 14additionally comprising a pair of shoulders extending from said housingadjacent respective sides of said strip of flexible material so as torestrain lateral movement of said strip of flexible material.
 28. Theapplicator system of claim 22 additionally comprising a pair ofshoulders extending from said sidewall adjacent respective sides of saidstrip of flexible material so as to restrain lateral movement of saidstrip of flexible material.
 29. The applicator system of claim 14additionally comprising a support plate disposed on the other side ofsaid strip of flexible material from said orifice and initially spacedfrom said strip of flexible material, whereby such strip of photographicmaterial may be progressively advanced between and in spacedrelationship to said strip of flexible material and said support plate,when said strip of flexible material is in its said first position, andmeans for effecting relative movement between said support plate andsaid housing towards each other when said strip of flexible material isin its said second position whereby such photographic material isslidably engaged against said flexible material by said support plate.30. The applicator system of claim 29 wherein said means for effectingrelative movement of said support plate and said housing includes aspring mounted on said housing and connected to said support plate. 31.The applicator system of claim 30 wherein said means for effectingrelative movement of said support plate and said housing additionallyincludes a member adapted to engage said spring and actuated by saidmeans for displacing said strip of flexible material.
 32. The applicatorsystem of claim 31 wherein said spring is generally U-shaped and itsbase is mounted on said housing and said support plate is pivotablymounted intermediate its open ends.
 33. The applicator system of claim32 additionally including a spring mounted from said sidewall and asupport plate connected to said spring in alignment with said orifice,the inherent force of said spring continually urging said support platetowards said orifice, said prong contacting said spring to restrain saidsupport plate in spaced relationship to said strip of flexible materialwhen in its said first position and removed from contact with saidspring to permit said spring to displace said support plate from saidspaced relationship to said strip of flexible material towards saidstrip of flexible material when said prong is in its said secondposition.
 34. An applicator system useful in applying a coating ofprocessing fluid to a strip of exposed photographic material comprising:a pair of opposed walls; a sidewall extending adjacent the peripheraledges of said opposed walls and connected thereto to define a reservoirchamber in which such processing fluid may be disposed, said opposedwalls and said sidewall being configured to provide a substantiallyplanar section along the length of said sidewall, said section having arectangular orifice provided therethrough with two parallel sides ofsaid orifice extending lengthwise along said section; a projectionextending from said sidewall along the periphery of said orifice; a pairof guide tracks associated with the outside face of one of said opposedwalls and disposed in parallel relationship to said planar section ofsaid sidewall; an actuator slidably disposed in said guide tracksincluding a prong extending over the face of said planar section of saidsidewall and spaced therefrom a distance less than the end face of saidprojection, said actuator adapted to being displaced along said guidetracks to facilitate the movement of said prong from a first positionwith respect to said orifice to a second position disposed a greaterdistance from said orifice; and a strip of flexible material disposedover said end face of said projection and having one of its endsconnected to said prong and its other end biased in a direction awayfrom said prong whereby said strip of flexible material continuallyurges said prong towards said orifice, said strip of flexible materialhaving an opening provided therethrough and located therein to be inregistry with said orifice when said prong is in its second position andout of registry with said orifice when said prong is in its said firstposition at which time said orifice is sealed by strip of flexiblematerial, said opening being of sufficient size to extend beyond theside of said projection most closely adjacent said prong when said prongis in its said second position.
 35. A compact multipurpose motionpicture film handling cassette comprising: an enclosed opaque housingconfigured to be mounted in a camera to facilitate film exposureoperations and then in a second photographic apparatus to facilitatefilm processing operations; a film gate for access of image carryinglight rays into said opaque housing; a dispensing container mountedwithin said opaque housing in which processing fluid may be retained andhaving an orifice through which such processing fluid may be expressedtherefrom; an unexposed photographic film strip coiled at an initialposition within said opaque housing; means responsive to drive means ofsuch camera and apparatus for advancing said film strip within saidopaque housing and for returning said film strip to its initialposition, whereby said unexposed film strip may be first progressivelybrought into operative relationship to said film gate for exposurepurposes and subsequently, in an exposed condition, progressively passedacross said orifice; and means for selectively sealing and unsealingsaid orifice whereby, after said film strip has been exposed to saidimage carrying light rays to record images thereon and said orifice isunsealed, such processing fluid may be expressed from said container toform a fluid coating therealong.
 36. A compact multipurpose motionpicture film handling cassette comprising: an enclosed opaque housingconfigured to be mounted in a camera to facilitate film exposureoperations and then in a second photographic apparatus to facilitatefilm-processing operations; an unexposed photographic film strip coiledat an initial position within said opaque housing; a film gate foraccess of light to selective incremental portions of said film strip; asecond housing mounted within said opaque housing defining a reservoirchamber in which processing fluid may be retained and having an orificethrough which such processing fluid may be expressed therefrom; firstmeans responsive to drive means of such camera and such apparatus forprogressively transporting said film strip within said opaque housinginto operative relationship with said film gate for exposure purposesand across said orifice for Processing purposes; second means slidablydisposed across said orifice intermediate said orifice and the sectionof said film strip in alignment therewith for sealing said orifice whenin a first position with respect thereto and for unsealing said orificewhen in a second position with respect thereto; and third means foreffecting slidable engagement between said section of said film stripdisposed in alignment with said orifice and the section of said secondmeans disposed across said orifice when said second means is in its saidsecond position, whereby such processing fluid may be expressed fromsaid reservoir chamber onto said film strip to form a fluid coatingtherealong after said film strip has been exposed to image carryinglight rays during advancement thereof in operative relationship to saidfilm gate.
 37. A cassette comprising: an enclosed opaque housing; anunexposed photographic strip coiled at an initial position within saidopaque housing; a film gate for access of light to selective incrementalportions of said film strip; a second housing mounted within said opaquehousing defining a reservoir chamber in which processing fluid may beretained and having an orifice through which such processing fluid maybe expressed therefrom; first means for advancing said film strip withinsaid opaque housing and for returning said film strip to its initialposition, whereby said film strip may be selectively progressivelytransported into operative relationship with said film gate and acrosssaid orifice; second means slidably disposed across said orificeintermediate said orifice and the section of said film strip inalignment therewith for sealing said orifice when in a first positionwith respect thereto and for unsealing said orifice when in a secondposition with respect thereto; third means for effecting slidableengagement between said section of said film strip disposed in alignmentwith said orifice and the section of said second means disposed acrosssaid orifice when said second means is in its said second position; andan actuator connected to said second means and mounted for slidablemotion with respect to said second housing and adapted to be engaged byan externally mounted force-applying member, said enclosed opaquehousing having a slot provided therethrough adapted to receive suchexternally mounted force applying member into engagement with saidactuator, whereby such processing fluid may be expressed from saidreservoir chamber onto said film strip to form a fluid coatingtherealong after said film strip has been exposed to image carryinglight rays during advancement thereof in operative relationship to saidfilm gate.
 38. The cassette of claim 37 wherein said second meansincludes a strip of flexible material slidably disposed across saidorifice.
 39. The cassette of claim 38 wherein an opening is providedthrough said strip of flexible material and is located therein to bepositioned out of alignment with said orifice when said strip offlexible material is in its said first position and to be positioned inalignment with said orifice when said strip of flexible material is inits said second position.
 40. A motion picture film handling systemcomprising: a cassette including: an enclosed opaque housing; a filmgate for access of image carrying light rays into said opaque housing; adispensing container mounted within said opaque housing in whichprocessing fluid may be retained and having an orifice through whichsuch processing fluid may be expressed therefrom; an unexposedphotographic film strip coiled at an initial position within said opaquehousing; means adapted to be driven by externally mounted drive meansfor advancing said film strip within said opaque housing and forreturning said film strip to its initial position; and means forinitially sealing and then unsealing said orifice; and a processing unitincluding: means for recEiving said cassette; a force-applying member;and means for introducing said force-applying member into such cassetteto engage said sealing and unsealing means of said cassette and fordisplacing said sealing and unsealing means from its initial sealedrelationship with said orifice into its unsealed relationship with saidorifice; and drive means adapted to engage said cassette film stripadvancing means; whereby, after said unexposed film strip has beenexposed to such image carrying light rays, it may be progressivelypassed across said orifice when said orifice is in its unsealedcondition to facilitate such processing fluid being expressed from saidcontainer to form a fluid coating along said exposed film strip. 41.Apparatus useful in processing a strip of exposed photographic materialcoiled in a film handling cassette, such cassette including a housingdefining a reservoir chamber in which processing fluid may be retainedand having an orifice through which such processing fluid may beexpressed from such reservoir chamber, first means slidably displacedacross such orifice for sealing such orifice when in a first positionwith respect thereto and for unsealing such orifice when in a secondposition with respect thereto, second means for progressively advancingsuch strip of exposed photographic material across such orifice whensuch first means is in its second position, an actuator adapted to beoperably engaged by an externally mounted force-applying member andconnected to such first means, and access means for receiving suchforce-applying member into such cassette into operable engagement withsuch actuator and for subsequently permitting displacement of suchactuator from a first position wherein such first means is in its firstposition to a second position wherein such first means is in its secondposition, comprising: means for receiving such cassette; aforce-applying member; and means for introducing said force-applyingmember into such cassette through such access means into operableengagement with such actuator and for subsequently displacing saidforce-applying member whereby such first means of such cassette is movedfrom its first position to its second position.
 42. The apparatus ofclaim 41 wherein said force-applying member includes a pin and saidmeans for introducing said force-applying member into operableengagement with such actuator and for subsequently displacing saidforce-applying member includes a cam track adapted to receive one end ofsaid pin.
 43. Apparatus for processing a strip of exposed photographicmaterial contained in a film handling cassette, such cassette includinga collapsible container in which processing fluid is initially stored,such collapsible container having a weakened portion adapted to rupturewhen such fluid stored therein is subjected to predetermined pressureresponsive to a force-applying member being pressed against suchcollapsible container, an applicator disposed in operative relationshipto such strip of exposed photographic material and means for feedingsuch fluid to such applicator when such weakened portion of suchcollapsible container is ruptured, comprising: means for receiving suchcassette having a slot through which such cassette can be inserted intosaid apparatus; a roller disposed within said apparatus adjacent saidslot to initially contact the edge of such collapsible containerfurthermost removed from such weakened portion as such cassette ispartially inserted into said cassette receiving means and toprogressively apply a compressive force across said collapsiblecontainer from such edge thereof to such weakened portion in the processof completing the insertion of such cassette into said apparatus wherebysuch weakened portion is automatically ruptured and such fluidautomatically expelled from such collapsible container in the process ofinserting such cassette into said apparatus.
 44. The apparatus of claim43 wherein such cassetTe additionally includes a removable cover plateinitially protecting such collapsible container and said apparatusadditionally comprises means for selectively displacing said roller fromits position adjacent said slot to a second position removed from saidslot so that when said roller is in its said second position suchcassette including its such cover plate may be inserted into saidapparatus free from interference with said roller.
 45. A compactmultipurpose motion picture film handling cassette comprising: asubstantially enclosed opaque housing configured to be mounted in acamera to facilitate film exposure operations and then in a secondphotographic apparatus to facilitate film processing operations; anunexposed photographic film strip stored within said housing; a filmgate for access of light to selective incremental portions of said filmstrip first means within said housing for initially storing a quantityof processing fluid and for facilitating the expressing of such fluidtherefrom, said first means including an orifice; second means forprogressively transporting said film strip within said housing acrosssaid film gate for exposure purposes responsive to drive means of suchcamera when said cassette is mounted in such camera and then across saidorifice for processing purposes responsive to drive means of such secondphotographic apparatus when said cassette is mounted in such secondphotographic apparatus; and third means within said housing forselectively sealing said orifice so that said orifice may be sealedafter said film strip has been treated with such fluid.
 46. The cassetteof claim 45 wherein said third means serves to control the thickness offluid coating supplied to said film strip during film-processingoperations.
 47. A compact motion picture film handling cassettecomprising: a substantially enclosed opaque housing; an unexposedphotographic film strip stored within said opaque housing; a film gatefor access of light to selective incremental portions of said filmstrip; a second housing mounted within said opaque housing defining areservoir chamber in which processing fluid may be retained and havingan orifice through which such processing fluid may be expressedtherefrom; first means for progressively transporting said film stripwithin said opaque housing into said operative relationship with saidfilm gate for exposure purposes and across said orifice for processingpurposes; second means for sealing said orifice when in a first positionwith respect thereto intermediate said orifice and said film strip andfor unsealing said orifice when in a second position with respectthereto intermediate said orifice and said film strip; third means foreffecting relative motion between said second housing and said secondmeans to selectively effect at least the sealing of said orifice; andfourth means for effecting slidable engagement of the section of saidfilm strip disposed in alignment with said orifice and the section ofsaid second means disposed adjacent said orifice when said second meansis in its said second position with respect to said orifice, wherebysuch processing fluid may be expressed from said reservoir chamber ontosaid film strip to form a fluid coating therealong after said film striphas been exposed to image carrying light rays during advancement thereofin operative relationship to said film gate.